How to use Lavender Essential Oil for Best Results

Lavender Essential Oil (or Lavandula Angustifolia to give it its botanical name) is one of the most popular essential oils. 

What can Lavender Essential Oil ‘do’?

It’s got some interesting properties, it’s uplifting as well as calming. It’s also antiseptic, antiviral, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, balancing, cooling, fungicidal, sedative, detoxifying, and a tonic! It’s also great for relieving headaches.

How is Lavender Essential Oil used?

Lavender can be used to help you get a great nights sleep and is often used in bath products and bedtime blends. It is also popular in diffuser blends and as a massage oil. 
It is also one of the few essential oils that you can use neat on skin in small doses. 

Firstly choose wisely!

When you’re shopping for lavender essential oil it needs to have its common name (lavender) and its botanical name (Lavandula Angustifolia) written on the bottle. Avoid any essential oil that doesn’t have the latin / botanical name written on it. Often the very cheap ones you can buy in supermarkets for instance don’t have this information written on them. 

Buy ‘just’ lavender essential oil

Double check that the essential oil isn’t blended with anything else. Lavender essential oil can be diluted with jojoba oil or can be adulterated with the cheaper lavandin essential oil. It’s best to get pure, undiluted, unadulterated essential oil. Be aware that there is a difference between an essential oil and a fragrance oil. You need the essential oil not the fragrance oil.

Buy Essential Oils from a Reputable Supplier

Normally in my treatments I use essential oils from either Naturally Thinking or Neals Yard Remedies Organic (For clarity I am a Neal’s Yard Remedies Organic Consultant so if you buy anything via the link I will receive a percentage of the sale) 
For a list of other reputable suppliers please see the Aromatherapy Trade Councils Website

How to use Lavender Essential Oil for best results

Muscle Ease Massage Blend

Ease aching muscles by creating a muscle ease massage blend and massaging in.

Ingredients

30 ml (2 tablespoonsful) of a plain massage oil (Grapeseed or Sunflower, or Jojoba, or Sweet Almond or a plain massage base oil) 
Add 5 drops of lavender essential oil,
3 drops of sweet orange essential oil and
2 drops of basil essential oil. 
Stir well then massage onto the affected part using long slow strokes towards the heart.
Do NOT use on children, the elderly or during pregnancy. If you are taking any medication or have any diagnosed medical conditions or any skin sensitivities please consult a qualified aromatherapist before using any aromatherapy blend.

Compress for headaches

If you have a headache, especially one caused by stress or tension try making a compress. Compresses can be either warm or cold. Chances are you’ll know what you need the most so follow your intuition. The principle is the same for both so do whichever makes more sense for you.

Ingredients

A bowl filled with either hand hot or cold water. 
A teaspoonful of carrier oil (grapeseed or sunflower oil are fine) 
2 drops lavender essential oil
1 drop lime essential oil
1 drop rosemary essential oil
Add the essential oils to the grapeseed or sunflower oil and swirl into the hot or cold water.
Take a flannel and dip in the water and essential oil mix. Wring carefully with your hands

Bedtime Pillow Soother

Put one or two drops of lavender essential oil onto a circle of cotton wool and tuck into your pillow case or into the cover of your hot water bottle. Never drop the essential oil directly onto the pillow.

Topical Application for spots, bites and stings

Using a cotton bud stick (q-tip) add one drop of lavender oil and apply to the affected area.

Related Article: https://www.sarahcooper.co.uk/which-lavender-shall-i-use

Over to you

How do you use lavender oil? Please let me know in the comments box below